Wire-stretcher



M. SEVEHSON.

WIRE STBETCHER.

APPucATioN FILED JUNE 4.1919.

Patented Jan. 20,1929.

/QM-v @Hoang NITED STATES PATENT QFFCEa MELVIN SEVERSON, OF GALESVILLE, WISCONSIN.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Appication led `Tune 4, 1919.

To all whom z' may concern Be it known that I` MELvrN Snvnnson, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at- Galesville, in lthe county of Trempealeau and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful ln'iprovements in llVire-Stretchers, ot which the following is a specification.

The object ol the invention is to provide a wire stretching apparatus which may be applied readily to a terminal or intermediate post of a proposed fence as a means ot applying thevrequired tensile strain to the several strands of the fence and effectively holding the same during the application of the securing means, under such conditions as to `insure the uniform running of the wires and the etfectivesecuring of the same without necessitating the use of posts of special construction f' or the application of special means thereto in order to support the stretcher in its proper relation to the lines of the fence` runners.l

Further objects of the invention will appear in the following description it being understood that changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the claims without departing from the principles involved.

In the drawings :e-

Figure l is a view of the stretching apparatus applied in the operative position to the fence uprights or posts.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

The apparatus consists essentially of an extended staff 10, preferably of a length exceeding that of an ordinary fence panel which is provided at its bearing terminal with a spur or stud 11 for engagement with an intermediate post 12 of the fence, and having a double rack 13 for engagement by pawls 14 with which is connected an operating lever 15 so that in the oscillation of the lever said pawls may be caused to step progressively along the rack members to advance a follower pin 16 which is connected by a loop 17 with a chain 18 having a terminal clamp 19 for engagement with the wire runner 20. The pawls are further connected by links 2l with a guide pin 22 which in common with the follower pin operates in a longitudinal slot 23 in the rack member, said guide pin being connected with the follower pin by means of a spring 24 so that a yielding pressure may be applied to the pawls to provide for their engagement Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

Serial No. 301,630.

with the teeth of the rack in their advance along the latter. Obviously when the dcsired tension has been applied to the wire the release of the .operating lever will, by reason of the engagement of both pawls with the members of the rack. maintain the parts in their adjusted relations until the runner can be secured permanently to the post by means` of fastening devices such as the ordinary staples 25. d

In connection with the staff which constitutes a strut extending approximately in thc line oit strain applied to the fence runner, and by reason of being so disposed is not subject to any considerable transverse strain likely to cause bending or fracture, there is employed a gage bar 26 adapted to be arranged in contact with the side of the terminal post 26 which receives the bearing of the stretcher staff and around which the flexible connection 18 is drawn, said gage bar being provided at its lower extremity with a spur 27 adapted to be driven or pressed into the ground adjacent to the post, and also having a plurality of lateral notches forming seats 28 for the reception of the stati 10, so as to hold the latter against movement in the direction of the length of the post and at the same time serve as a means of determining the relative positions of the fence runners and hence a means of maintaining a uniform alinement and spacing otl the runners throughout the fence in the course of its construction. rlhe upper end of the gage bar may be secured in place temporarily by a chain 29 extending around the post and engaging one of the seats. or the spur 27, if or' sulicient length may be depended upon to maintain the proper position of the bar inasmuch as in operation there is no strain thereon other than directly toward the post.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that after having positioned the gage bar it is only necessary in stretching the several runners of the fence to engage the terminal spur 11 of the stal in an adu jacent inte 1mediate post and lit the body portion of the stati' near the rack in the corresponding seat of the gage bar in order to position the apparatus, after which the engagement of the clamp 19 with the runner prepares the machine for the operation of the lever to apply the required tension.

The removal of the device and its readjustment with reference to a succeeding runner of the fence can be accomplished with equal facility `and Without the loss of time incident to any special attachment of the device to the posts or other elements of the structure,

Claimed 1. A fence Wire stretcher having a staff for terminal bearing Contact With an inter'- mediate fence post and lateral bearing toward an adjacent post7 a gage bar disposed adjacent to the secondnamed post and provided With spaced seats for the respective reception of said sta'tensioning devices carried by the staff and including a follower for movement longitudinally thereof, and connections With said follower including means for engaging a fence runner.

2. A fence Wire stretcher having a staff provided with means for terminal engagement with a fence post and adapted for intermediate lateral bearing toward another post, a gage bar for interposition between said staff and the second-named post and provided at its lower end With a terminal ground engaging spur and at intermediate points with notches forming seats for said staff, tensioning devices mounted upon the staff and including a follower .for movement longitudinal thereof, and connections with thefollower including means for engaging a fence runner.

3. A fence Wire stretcher having a stafl' provided with means for terminal engagement with a fence post and adapted for lateral bearing toward an adjacent fence post, a double rack bar carried by said staff and provided With an intermediate longitudinal slot, follower and guide pins operating in said slot and connected by a tensioning spring, pawls for respective engagement with the members of the double rack and connected by links Witlrsaid guide pin, a lever pivotally connected with said pavvls7 and connections ivitli the follower pin including a looped yoke and a Wire clamp flexibly connected with the yoke.

4c. A fence Wire stretcher having a staff for terminal bearing contact with an intermediate fence post and lateral bearing toward an adjacent post, a double rack bar carried by said staff and provided with an. intermediate longitudinal slot, follower and guide pins operati-ng in said slot, a lever connected with said follower pin, pawls pivotally connected with the lever and engaging the tivo sides of the rack bar and operatively rconnected With the guide pin, anda common resilient mea-ns operating on the guide pin to `maintain both ypawls lin operative engagement with the double rack.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ivrnnvinsnvnnson. 

